


Woodland Creatures

by WitchyTwitchy



Series: Lost Boys [1]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series)
Genre: And Manny has a thing for him, Awkward Tension, Detective Case Mention, Developing Friendships, M/M, Matthew Can't Ask People To Hang Out Normally, Not Beta Read, Pining, Possibly Unrequited Love, Walks In The Woods, What else is new
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:08:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23433676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchyTwitchy/pseuds/WitchyTwitchy
Summary: It's an obligation as a friend to follow someone you care for out into the woods, so they aren't alone, right?Manny's pretty sure that's a rule in the Friendship book or something, so when Matthew heads off alone on a case- he has to follow.Spoiler alert? They somehow get lost.
Relationships: The Detective | Matthew Patrick/The Record Producer | Manny MUA
Series: Lost Boys [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695529
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	Woodland Creatures

"Oh, God damn it, we've seen that rock before!"

They come to a halt in front of a regular looking rock. Manny squints at it, mouth falling open a tad in disbelief. He didn't think it was the same rock - but then again, all the rocks looked the same. Monochromatic stones in weird shapes. They all just blurred together after a while to him.  
So he leans away from the sight, rocking on his heels. "How can you tell?"

His friend rolls his eyes, antsy. "I just can, okay? Let's go another way this time."

Matthew starts to walk in another direction without another word, and all he can do is sigh and trail after him. It wasn't like he didn't trust the man, quite the opposite actually, but he was starting to worry all of this aimless wandering was getting to the detective more than he was letting on. Maybe he was going manic or something. Manny wasn't too sure about that part of his theory, but from how snappy and demanding Matthew was being, it was becoming clear this was bothering him.  
Not like he wasn't bothered as well. His feet ached and his makeup felt stale on his face as they continued walking.  
Not to mention the bugs. Or the random dead carcasses of-

His breath catches when Mat gasps and jerks back- slamming right into his chest and making Manny stumble. He regains his footing, a bit clumsily, and on instinct wraps his arms around the brunette's waist. Manny doesn't even pay attention to that part, and instead moves them back a bit more - their footwork disoriented and shaky. He looks over the detective's shoulder to see what scared him, and flinches in disgust when he sees what the man jumped away from.  
Another deer carcass. Just laying on the brown tainted grass and swarming with flies. Manny gags and turns away from the sight, dragging Matthew with him. 

"Another one? Bitch, who is killing all these animals? And just..leaving them…" Manny doesn't think he will be able to eat for a couple weeks after all the shit he's seen, honestly. His stomach was weaker than most. 

Matthew breathes in, taking a moment, before speaking. "They're all deer. Female ones, to be exact. The state of the blood and the decay suggests she's been dead a long while." He informs, but it sounds more like he's talking just to talk. 

Why this information mattered, Manny wasn't sure. He wasn't really paying attention to things like that. His focus was more on his friend himself, and keeping an eye out for any sort of exit. Or even a person. The deer didn't matter to him, all he cared about was ignoring that and getting them out of these woods already. It's been hours. The night had slowly started to turn to morning when they came out here, and now it was broad daylight. Sunlight beating down on them and making Manny feel overheated in his turtleneck and extra layers. Everlock was usually so cold..so this weather was just unnatural.  
To think he could've avoided all this by turning down Mat's invitation to watch his back in the woods while he searched for clues about some missing person. The consequences of caring for someone really screw you over in the weirdest ways. 

Manny zones out, and doesn't notice the fact Matthew has gone from still to wiggling in his grip. The detective has to say his name to get him to snap back to reality, and once his eyes look gaze into familiar brown, Manny gasps and lets go immediately. Removing his arms around his waist and taking a few steps back with his hands in the air. "Sorry! Sorry, honey. I didn't, it wasn't-"

"It's fine. We have to go, though." The brown haired male easily dismisses the moment. Turning his head up and gazing at the sky through his orange glasses. "It's already the afternoon now."

Already? Manny looks up himself, forgetting he doesn't have sunglasses, and groaning when the light hits his eyes. He immediately ducks his head, covering his eyes with his hand, and groaning. At least Matthew gets a good laugh out of it, chuckling softly. 

"Was me getting permanent eye damage funny to you, sir?"

The detective holds back a laugh. "Of course not! Well, maybe..."

While he scoffs in disbelief at that response, Matthew walks past the deer and keeps trudging forward. And if Manny wants to not get stuck alone, he has no choice but to follow. So he jogs forward to catch up, ignoring the carcass to save what little food is left in his stomach, and soon matches his speed to stay next to the detective. Silence settles between them, and Manny feels so awkward. It's how he always feels when stuck with Matthew, but it feels even worse now. The fact he had grabbed the man's waist and held on- ugh, what was wrong with him? His pale skin flushes with warmth, and the producer wants to apologize again.  
But judging on the firm, determined look on his friend's face, maybe he should save it for another time. 

It hadn't been a big deal, just an accident! Manny knows he's making it something big over nothing. Matthew didn't care, so it was all good! He tries to shove the thought away, gazing around to keep watch on the environment while the other man finds them a way out, but he can't stop his thoughts from going back to it. Why had he grabbed Matthew like that? Why did Manny really, really like it? Why did he want Matthew to be comfortable with what happened?  
He hoped the questions would be confusing, but he had the same answer for every single one. A conclusion he's come to from knowing Everlock's first detective for two years. But one he doesn't want to think about when he walks right beside the guy - their hands occasionally brushing enough to make Manny get even more nervous. 

Out of everyone he could get stuck in the woods with, why did it have to be Matthew Patrick of all people? God had a way of making things cruel for him. Maybe he should ask Nikita to really fight God for him sometime. He knows she would, just for the hell of it ; and maybe for him too. 

The record producer tries to keep a grip on the situation ( or as much of a grip as Matthew will let him ) and tries to zone out his thoughts to really focus. All the trees just look the same, a blend of brown and dark green. He isn't sure how deep they are in the woods, but he hopes it isn't too deep. Manny is getting exhausted and hungry, but he supposes at least he isn't lonely. Being in the woods all alone, lost and alone? He isn't sure he could take that. It seemed like a nightmare to him. And with this missing persons case Matthew has been juggling, Manny isn't sure the area is too safe to be wandering it alone. Even if he wishes he had anyone else, he's just glad he has someone to stick close to.  
Discreetly, he glances over at his companion again. Who seems to be focusing a lot better than he is right now. Hair looking more like a more fawn color under the sun, and jaw set determinedly. Pink lips quirked into a frown. At least being stuck with Matthew meant he had a nice view. That's a silver lining!

Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't see the rock ahead of him that Matthew easily steps over. His foot catches it, and Manny - forever being a stupid clutz - can only gasps as he falls forward. He can't catch himself in time, landing face first in the dirt with a thud. It isn't as painful as it is embarrassing. And Manny almost wishes the ground would open up and just swallow him so he didn't have to get up and have Matthew see his probably ruined face. 

Thinking of the detective, he hears the man rush over. The sound of footsteps stop right in front of him, and he feels a shadow fall over his body. "Are you okay?"

No. "I guess."

He's expecting it to be left at that, so nothing prepares him for the soft fingers that start to comb through his black hair. It's only a second, a quick thing, but Manny feels like he can't breathe. And maybe that's thanks to the dirt suffocating his face, but he's also sure the rapid pounding of his heart really helps leave him breathless.  
The hand tears itself away, and Matthew speaks again. "Come on, big guy, get up and let's walk it off." 

This time, Matthew pats at his head. And Manny sighs and lifts his face off the dirt, watching the detective stand up again from where he was crouched in front of him. He waits a second before standing up, and trying to seem like he didn't lose all his dignity by brushing the dirt off his clothes. As he tries to get the dust off, his friend eyes him, and when he hears the sound of rustling leather, Manny looks up. And there's a sight to behold! Matthew, shrugging off his mustard jacket! He wrinkles his nose up, confused, and that soon turns to surprise when the man bundles it and offers it to him. 

"For your face." And when Manny still makes no move to take it, Matthew raises an eyebrow. "To wipe off the dirt and the rest of your makeup?"

Awkwardly, he places a hand on the fabric. But instead of taking it, he only gently pushes it towards Mat's chest. The man frowns, and Manny simply explains, "My outfit's already ruined. I can just do this-"

Easily, Manny takes the clean side of his sleeve and wipes it over his face. Rubbing as harshly as he can to get everything somewhat off. After seconds of doing this, he brings down his arm, examining the now filthy sleeve. He doubts he looks completely cleaned up, but his face feels fresher already - and maybe a bit sore from the hard rubbing. But it's better. And he sighs with relief, looking at Matthew with a grin. "See?"

There's a light blush spread across Matthew's cheeks, which Manny can't understand, but the detective coughs and turns back around. Hiding the view from him. "Or you can do that. Yeah. That's cool too." He rushes out, tying his jacket around his waist and walking forward. 

Weird...But at least it was Matthew being weird instead of him for once. The switch in dynamic was comforting. Manny rubs his sore nose as he begins to follow the other again. 

"Hey…"

"Yeah?"

"There's a little stone up ahead, so be careful not to-"

"Shut. Up." 

Matthew laughs again, "Okay, okay. Jeez."

"The fact you only laugh at me being stupid makes you a really, really bad friend, you know that?" Manny jokes, making sure to dramatically step over the small stone wedged in the ground.  
At least the other was laughing in this situation, even if the producer has to embarrass himself for it. 

The detective looks over his shoulder and coos. "That's not true. I laugh at you all the time! Not just when you're being stupid!"

Not with him, but laughing at him? Ouch. Manny purses his lips, acting offended, and places his hand on his chest. Another laugh bubbles out of Mat, this one more fond then the last, and then the detective merely looks ahead again. The bonding moment, or what he hopes was a bonding moment, disappearing just like that. Compared to the last moment they shared, this one was way better- and the weight on his broad shoulders lightens up. And after a while, his heart finally returns to its normal speed - another thing he can be thankful for. Maybe it's better he isn't romantically tangled in with Matthew. If his heart acted like that all the time, Manny is pretty sure he would die if he so much as kissed the man.  
Which he shouldn't think about either, because his heart is starting to race again. 

They walk some more, Manny blindly following Matthew's lead as they search for an exit. Or maybe they would find the missing person still? That seemed unlikely, but it would be better to solve the case and then return after being gone for hours then show up empty handed. Their friends were going to tease the shit out of them for getting lost, and he wasn't looking forward to it. He could hear them now. Especially Nikita. As loving as she was to him, she could be a pain too. So could all their friends, really.  
Despite that, he really misses them. Even if they've only been missing for a couple of hours. The fact he hasn't seen Nikita or Safiya or Roi or Colleen since yesterday is really messing with him. He wonders if they were worried. Him and Matthew being absent was weird after all. They never really tried to hang out alone before. 

He has a feeling with all this missing person talk in the town, that Matthew is really worried about Teala and Ro. Even if they were more at risk for being lost in the woods, he can see why that anxiety would make Matthew more worried about his friends than himself at the moment. That's fine, because Manny has enough worry to cover the both of them until they get back home and they're safe. 

He barely has time to stop when Matthew suddenly does; only barely bumping into the other's back before he comes to a stop. All this extra contact he's getting lately from the detective is really starting to have an affect on him. Manny steps back, watching Matthew turn around and look at him. He opens his mouth to ask what's wrong, but he isn't quick enough. 

"We're lost."

Manny blinks. "I know that. You told me this."

The other man groans, rubbing at his eyes underneath his glasses. "No, Manny, I mean we're really lost. I thought this was the way out, but the trees are thicker here and...And we're lost. This idea was so stupid, I'm sorry."

"Deciding to go search in the woods for a missing person is stupid, yeah, but why are you apologizing to me for?"

It hits him then that there's something he isn't getting, from the annoyed sigh Matthew let's out to the fact he can't even look him in the eyes. Manny shifts, trying to look unphased by the sudden tension. When it gets silent again, he quickly breaks the silence. "Matty?"

Matthew throws his hands up in the air. "I pretended we were lost in the beginning! I know that sounds terrible - but it was a really good idea at the time! I just wanted..ugh…" He sighs again, sounding sad. "I was trying to steal extra time with you."

Oh. Huh. The producer feels his heart rate spike at the words, and feeling butterflies enter his stomach. He doesn't say anything, so his friend continues on. 

"When you offered to come with me, I thought it would be a good chance for us to hang out without our friends, because we never really have before. I've known you for a long time and- I guess I wanted to be closer. I was going to get us out and buy you lunch, but clearly that plan is down the drain." 

What is he supposed to say to all that? As terrible as it is, nobody had made such an effort to keep him around before. And maybe it was the fact he already really, really liked Matthew- but the fact that the other wanted him around so badly makes his chest flood with warmth. He hopes he isn't blushing! Was he blushing?  
Manny stutters, trying to think of something to say.

"I mean, you are still buying me lunch. Or dinner. Or breakfast. Or whatever when we get out of here. I'm hungry, bitch."

He decides it would be better to just ignore it. Forgive and forget. Manny knew if he kept talking about it, he would read too much into it anyway. 

"Of course. You buy me things all the time, so it's time to repay the favor. For that, and for this... situation." Matthew smiles, before tensing again. "You aren't mad at me?"

There's a lot of feelings he has right now. Manny wants to say he's flattered. That he wants to start hanging out with the other man alone as well. Maybe say that he might like Matthew way more than he should. Or hold him again, like earlier. But that's too much, and he isn't sure he can handle awkward silence home when Mat rejects him.  
So, he just rolls his eyes and clicks his tongue. "I could never be mad at you, Matty. I mean, either way, I'm lost, so…"

"I know. I promise we'll get out. And you'll get some free food out of it." The fact that Matthew doesn't complain about the nickname puts Manny in an even better mood. 

For a moment, they just smile at each other, eyes bright with affection, before the detective folds his arms and looks pointedly away. Another moment, gone. But at least now Manny knew for sure they were bonding!  
"I've been the leader this whole time and look where that's gotten us. I think it's your turn. Pick a direction, and I'll follow you."

Follow him? The pure joy and love in his chest is almost too hard to ignore. Manny giggles, hoping he doesn't seem to giddy, and randomly turns in a direction. He decides that way looks right, and starts walking that way - making sure to look brave as he leads them to an exit. Or he hopes it's he's leading them to an exit. All he knows is that Matthew keeps true to his word and follows behind him, keeping watch while he now tries to guide them. 

As they wander aimlessly in the forest, Manny wonders what it's like to hold Matthew's hand.


End file.
